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Special
Note: A
special thanks to three people for their help making this
tribute possible.
Scott
Teal of Whatever Happened To...?
did the definitve biography on Sam Muchnick and his meaning
to the National Wrestling Alliance. It ran in Whatever Happened
To... ? Issue 16 and is available at his website. Scott
was gracious enough to donate the biography to this tribute.
Mitch
Hartsey, webmater of the
NWA Midwest website, donated
some great photos for this tribute. We are hoping to add
more material to this tribute as it becomes available.
Joe Blanchard, for his comments about
what it was like to wrestle for Sam Muchnick and what values
he brought from Sam Muchnick to his promotion.
Sam Muchnick was to professional
wrestling what Pete Rozelle was to the National Football
League. Rozelle was considered a forward thinker that always
looked ahead to the NFL's best possible future.
Likewise,
Muchnick managed to organize professional wrestling promoters around the world and
developed the National Wrestling Alliance into the most powerful body in the history of
the sport. From 1950 through 1977, Muchnick managed to build the NWA while still making
his own city, St. Louis, a Mecca of professional wrestling.
The
foundation for the success enjoyed today by World Championship Wrestling and the World
Wrestling Federation can be attibuted to Sam Muchnick's leadership of the sport through
three decades.
It
was a leadership built on integrity, honest and credibility.
Sam
Muchnick passed away Dec. 30, 1998 in St. Louis at the age of 93.
Sam Muchnick's legacy will live
forever.
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The Life and Times of
Sam Muchnick
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By Scott Teal
Whatever Happened To...?
He never participated as a wrestler, and only refereed a few matches, but he brought a lot
of respect to wrestling in St. Louis. And through his efforts with the National Wrestling
Alliance, he helped establish a firm foundation for professional wrestling around the
world for many years.
...more...
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A Championship Promoter |
By Mark Nulty
Nobody understood how to promote a champion and spot a future World champion better than
Sam Muchnick. Here's a look at his contribution to the NWA World heavyweight championship
and an analysis of the Missouri State heavyweight championship.
...more... |
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As NWA President, Sam
often traveled to other cities prior to important NWA World heavyweight championship
matches. Sam was in Houston July 20, 1973 to present NWA World heavyweight champion Harley
Race with a new championship belt during an in-ring ceremony prior to Race's defense
against Jack Brisco. |
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Harley Race poses with
his new NWA World heavyweight championship belt and Sam Muchnick immediately after the
above ceremony. Ironically, Race wouldn't leave the ring with the belt as Jack Brisco won
the title from Race that night. |
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Another future World
heavyweight champion comes through St. Louis. Sam Muchnick watches Nature Boy Ric Flair
prepare to enter the ring for a Wrestling at the Chase television match. |
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Two of the greatest promoters of all-time. Sam
Muchnick, left, poses with Jim Crockett Sr. Crockett Sr. was the promoter for wrestling in
the Carolinas for decades. |
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Joe Blanchard
remembers
Sam Muchnick
In a
Real Audio interview, Joe Blanchard talks about his memories
of Muchnick, what made Muchnick special as a promoter and what he learned from Muchnick in
creating his own promotion. Blanchard starred on Muchnick's cards in St. Louis. Blanchard
would later start his own successful promotion in south Texas, Southwest Championship
Wrestling. |
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Special thanks to Mitch Hartsey of NWA Midwest Wrestling for his contributions of
photos and history. |
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